Carton



G. L. MEYERS July 28, 1964 CARTON 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 15, 1963IN VENTOR (:RORGY. \ymms 7V ATTORNKWS y 1964 a. L. MEYERS 3,142,430

1 CARTON Filed March 15, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GEORGE.\"\"'L(ERS G. L. MEYERS July 28, 1964 CARTON Filed March 15, 1963 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Rs 0 mm M E Y X v a mm m x w a. mh/w/m Q CL rb UnitedStates Patent Jersey Filed Mar. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 265,409 2 Claims.(Cl. 229-22 This invention relates to a polygonal display carton. Morespecifically, the invention relates to a triangular display carton forthe packaging of sandwiches, cake, etc.

Triangular cartons used for the packaging of foods such as pie, cake andsandwiches customarily are difiicult to erect, fill, and close,requiring a number of unusual folding and sealing steps. Furthermore,previous triangular cartons do not usually combine both tamperproofnessand an easy opening means. In modern packaging operations, it isextremely important for the product packager to obtain high speedoperation with a minimum amount of money and plant space. The productpackager can realize greater economies if the cartons are shipped to himin the form of collapsed shells which can be erected, filled and closedby automatic machinery without the use of a sealing means.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide apolygonal display carton which can be partially assembled by the paperconverter, shipped in collapsed condition, and readily set, up, filledand closed on automatic machinery by the product packager.

Further details, advantages and objects will be apparent from thefollowing specification and appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an integral blank suitably cut and scored toform a polygonal carton having a tearstrip opening means,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the blank of FIGURE 1 following folding andgluing,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the blank partially set up,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the blank partially closed,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the completed carton in closedcondition, and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the completed carton with the tearstrip removed and the contents exposed.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, the carton is made of a single foldableblank of flexible material, such as paperboard. The blank is divided bya plurality of score lines, indicated by numerals 10 to 21, to providehingedly connected panels, flaps and tabs, including side panel 30, apair of main spaced panels respectively comprising portions 31, 32 and34, 35, a connecting panel comprising portions 33 and window 45,interposed between the spaced main panels, glue flap 36, a pair of sideflaps 37, 41 and 39, 42, end flaps 38, and side tab 40. A male lockingtab 43 is hingedly connected by score line 21 to side flap 39. Cut line22 defines a female locking slit which in conjunction with insertedlocking tab 43 closes the carton as hereinafter described. Angled linesof Weakness 23 and 24 provide a tear-strip 44 in side flaps 39, 42 forgaining access to the closed and locked carton.

After the blank is cut out and separated from the original stock sheetor web layout, it is passed through a windowing machine which applies atransparent plastic sheet 45 of suitable dimensions to cover the openingbounded by main panel portions 32, 34 and connecting panel portions 33,as shown in FIGURE 1. The blank is then partially assembled by applyingadhesive to the side panel 30 in the areas indicated by the stippling,folding end flap 38, connected by score line 19, inwardly to overlieadjacent connecting panel portions 33, next infolding main panel portion35 about score line 14 so that the glue flap 36 overlies window 45 andend flap 38, and finally infolding side panel 30 inwardly to adhere itto glue flap 36 and end flap 38. The blank in this stage is in the formof a collapsed shell having main panel portions 31 and 35 overlying mainpanel portions 32 and 34, respectively. Similarly, side flap portions 37and 39 overlie side panel portions 41 and 42, respectively. In suchcondition, as shown in FIGURE 2, the shell may be shipped economicallyto the product packager for set-up, filling and closing.

FIGURE 3 depicts an initial stage in setting up the carton for fillingsame. The carton is set up by merely pushing inwardly at the edgesdefined by score lines 11 and 14, connecting main panel portions 31, 32and 34, 35, respectively. When set up, side panel 30 and side flaps 37,41 and 39, 42 are positioned perpendicularly to main panels 31, 32 and34, 35. Next, the carton is filled with product to be packaged andclosed. In closing the carton, extending end flap 38 and side tab 40 arefolded inwardly to lie in a common plane, as shown in FIGURE 4. Then,side flap 37, 41 is folded inwardly about score line 20 to overlie endflap 38 and side tab 40. The closure is completed by infolding side flap39, 42 about score line 17 and inserting male looking tab 43 in femalelocking slit 22 to form a tamperproof closure. The closed carton, havingthe window 45 for viewing the contents, is shown in FIGURE 5.

Referring to FIGURE 6, the carton is opened by grasping the end of thetear strip 44 adjacent side panel 30 and pulling outward and away fromone end to the other. Flap portions 37, 38, 39, 41, 42 and tab 40 arefolded outwardly to expose the product, as shown in FIGURE 6.

The present invention provides a carton which can readily be set up froma collapsed shell, filled and closed on automatic machinery without theuse of an adhesive. It is understood that the location and type oflocking means and opening means as well as the size and shape of thecarton can be changed without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

I claim:

1. A unitary blank comprising a rectangular connecting panel defined bytransverse and longitudinal score lines; a pair of opposed triangularmain panels each hingedly connected along a first edge by one of saidlongitudinal score lines to said connecting panel; a side panel hingedlyconnected to a second edge of one of said main panels; a glue flaphingedly connected to the corresponding second edge of the other of saidmain panels; a pair of side flaps hingedly connected along associatedscore lines to the remaining edge of each of said main panels, one ofsaid side flaps having a male locking tab hingedly connected at itsouter edge opposite the score line connecting it to the adjacent mainpanel, the other of said side flaps having an arcuate female lockingslit along the score line connecting this side flap to its adjacent mainpanel, the side flap which has the male locking tab having a tear striptherein defined by a pair of spaced lines of weakness substantiallyparallel to the score line connecting this side flap to its adjacentmain panel; a pair of end flaps hingedly connected along said transversescore lines to said connecting panel; a side tab hingedly connected tosaid side panel along the edge adjacent the side flap; and a score linein each of said main panels running from the intersection of saidlongitudinal score line and said second edge at an angle to saidlongitudinal score line through said main panel and the adjacent sideflap.

2. A collapsed carton shell comprising a rectangular connecting paneldefined by transverse and longitudinal score lines; a pair of opposedtriangular main panels each hingedly connected along a first edge by oneof said longitudinal score lines to said connecting panel, each of saidmain panels being folded back upon itself along angular score lines andhaving a second edge underlying its first edge; a side panel hingedlyconnected to said second edges of said main panels; a pair of opposedside flaps hingedly connected to the third edges of said main panels andbeing folded back upon themselves along score lines which are extensionsof said angular score lines, one of said side flaps having a tear striptherein defined by a pair of spaced lines of weakness substantiallyparallel to the hinge line connecting said side flap to the adjacentmain panel, said side flaps together forming a side wall when the cartonis erected.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS173,390 Cornell Feb. 15, 1876 2,100,888 Vine Nov. 30, 1937 2,701,090Buttery Feb. 1, 1955 2,765,072 Will Oct. 2, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 769,854France June 18, 1934

1. A UNITARY BLANK COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR CONNECTING PANEL DEFINED BYTRANSVERSE AND LONGITUDINAL SCORE LINES; A PAIR OF OPPOSED TRIANGULARMAIN PANELS EACH HINGEDLY CONNECTED ALONG A FIRST EDGE BY ONE OF SAIDLONGITUDINAL SCORE LINES TO SAID CONNECTING PANEL; A SIDE PANEL HINGEDLYCONNECTED TO A SECOND EDGE OF ONE OF SAID MAIN PANELS; A GLUE FLAPHINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE CORRESPONDING SECOND EDGE OF THE OTHER OF SAIDMAIN PANELS; A PAIR OF SIDE FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED ALONG ASSOCIATEDSCORE LINES TO THE REMAINING EDGE OF EACH OF SAID MAIN PANELS, ONE OFSAID SIDE FLAPS HAVING A MALE LOCKING TAB HINGEDLY CONNECTED AT ITSOUTER EDGE OPPOSITE THE SCORE LINE CONNECTING IT TO THE ADJACENT MAINPANEL, THE OTHER OF SAID SIDE FLAP HAVING AN ARCUATE FEMALE LOCKING SLITALONG THE SCORE LINE CONNECTING THIS SIDE FLAP TO ITS ADJACENT MAINPANEL, THE SIDE FLAP WHICH HAS THE MALE LOCKING TAB HAVING A TEAR STRIPTHEREIN DEFINED BY A PAIR OF SPACED LINES OF WEAKNESS SUBSTANTIALLYPARALLEL TO THE SCORE LINE CONNECTING THIS SIDE FLAP TO ITS ADJACENTMAIN PANEL; A PAIR OF END FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED ALONG SAID TRANSVERSESCORE LINES TO SAID CONNECTING PANEL; A SIDE TAB HINGEDLY CONNECTED TOSAID SIDE PANEL ALONG THE EDGE ADJACENT THE SIDE FLAP; AND A SCORE LINEIN EACH OF SAID MAIN PANELS RUNNING FROM THE INTERSECTION OF SAIDLONGITUDINAL SCORE LINE AND SAID SECOND EDGE AT AN ANGLE TO SAIDLONGITUDINAL SCORE LINE THROUGH SAID MAIN PANEL AND THE ADJACENT SIDEFLAP.